OVERVIEW: The Douglas B. Marshall Family Foundation supports education and related research projects in developing countries.

IP TAKE: Marshall seeks organizations that can demonstrate long-term sustainability and scalability, even if their operations are small at the time the foundation extends an invitation to apply for a grant.

PROFILE: Based in Houston, Texas, the Douglas B. Marshall Family Foundation may be better known for its grantmaking within the Lone Star State than its international giving. However, this funder expects “the vast majority” of its grants to support education. For the foundation, this means supporting "cutting edge research at universities, laboratories, and other such institutions," but also includes support for "basic education, especially in areas of literacy, numeracy, and science." Although it focuses on education and research, the foundation also supports related, human costs – such as food, shelter, clothing, or medicine – as they relate to the foundation's key priorities. It believes that pursuing and education or research is impossible without sustenance, shelter, and well-being. As a result, grantseekers that can prove their project relates to pursuing education or research, may be able to secure funding through this foundation.

The foundation is dedicated to supporting education and related research projects “on all levels.” To that end, Marshall supports organizations with projects that improve educational outcomes, but it also requires those projects to be evidence-based, cost-effective, and to demonstrate long-term scalability. The foundation offers both project-specific and core support to its grantees.

Grant amounts from the Marshall Family Foundation vary from $5,000 to $425,000. The foundation does not award many grants annually, so grantseekers should expect competition. To learn more about the types of organizations the foundation supports, read its Grantees page.

The foundation does not accept unsolicited letters of inquiry, and while it does have established deadlines, those are only shared with those that have been extended an official invitation to apply.